9 years old car. A little help needed (Long)

[imported_edschwab1]

Intro

I am working a 95 Subaru Legacy wagon with OEM BC/CC paint, which is dry, grippy , has mild car wash scratching (swirls) and mild to medium oxidation. The Legacy does not show signs of being cared for other than an occasional wash. The problems, I am experiencing are difficulty removing/ buffing MPPC (always has been tough to remove, but does the job well), claying (before MPPC, after MPPC, after DACP) using Quik Detailer and using DACP (which is gumming up slightly). All the products mentioned previously performed as after each the paint showed signs of improving. After using DACP the paint became easier to work with, which I think is most of the oxidation was removed, as was some bonded contaminants.



Process

1. Wash with D21

2. Clean with MPPC (M9716) with M8006.

Difficult to remove as always, but worked as always.

3. Clay CM Blue

Difficult, stopped, as clay did not budge no matter the amount of Quik Detailer used. Essentially the clay stuck to the paint and left a clay streak.

4. DACP (M8332)

Applied using PC with a brand new CMA/LC Yellow cutting pad. The new CMA/LC yellow cutting pad does have less cutting power when compared to older CMA/LC Yellow cutting pads circa spring 2002.

5. Clay

See comments for clay above.

6. 3M PI-III MG

CMA/LC Orange and PC on a quarter of the hood

7. Speed Glaze #80

CMA/LC Orange on a quarter of the hood

8. Menzerna Final polish

Applied m8006 and PC

9. ColorX

Applied using M9006 and PC

10. GC

CMA/LC Finish pad because may bottle of NXT went AWOL.



Questions/Comments

I am unable to find the post from Mike Philips posted (which was possibly on show car garage or art of polish) regarding the use of #7 before working older paint. What is Mike`s process for using #7? Further, I was wondering if this would work in my situation and if #81 could be substituted?



Would body scrub, scratch X, DC step #1 or another brand of pre-wax cleaner be used as a substitute for MCCP in my process?



Has anyone experience this before? Any advice or things to try would be helpful.



I am expecting delivery of a rotary in the coming week. What should I try using with the rotary?



I plan on forgoing the clay this time and clay during my next detail. Claying will happen if I find something which will make the clay bar glide over the paint.



On the half of hood, which I experimented on looked good, but good is not good enough. I would like the paint to look better, but for this car an improvement is a good thing. I am not expecting a miracle, as my magic wand is broking. Would have done more, but I ran out of time.



The two quarters looked noticeably different (to me anyhow) with the PI-III side looking slightly better than the quarter with #80. I still think #80 is a great product and will continue to use.



I plan on testing Menzerna IP, Hi-Temp Light cut (I have used and like but not on this car), possibly some Poorboy’s products, other 3M liquid abrasives and various wax and sealant combos on the roof. For the combos I am testing more for appearance and slightly for durability. Further I am going to put many layers on over the next couple of months to prepare for the winter. Once I am done with my car, then come two car and three motorcycles (waxed for winter storage).



Pictures

Pictures so everyone know what the surface looks like. The white spots are chips or dust. Once the car is complete I will post before and after pictures.

Picture #1 is after steps 1-5.





Picture #2 after all steps.





Eric

[Jesstzn]

If its the oxidization thats giving you the problem give ColorX on a white pad a go. I did a white Civic single stage last week that was chalky with oxidization .. DACP and AIO did remove it but it caked up the pads really bad .. so I switched to ColorX @ 5 and took my time .. it did a better job of lifting it.

[Accumulator]

edschwab1- Interesting project, and interesting (if frustrating, I should think!) results.



Not sure why the clay wouldn`t glide, and I`m not familar with the MPPC. I found Subie paint of that vintage (I had a `96, or was it a `97? I forget..) a little hard to work by PC, so your results in that area don`t seem strange. I`d probably try the Hi-Temp Light Cut and follow with the MG.



Take it easy with the rotary. I`d use the MG with it until you get the hang of things. It works much more aggressively by rotary than it does by PC. Remember that the Subie clear is sorta thin and you`ve already worked it some.



I agree about the apparent change in the Lake/CMA cutting pads. Not always a good change, IMO.



Don`t bother with the #7 old-paint-trick on that one. It`s not the kind of paint that process works its magic on. The #81 would be a better choice if you want to use something between the (abrasive) polishing and the LSP.